


The Guide to Hyrule

by KB_Maillet



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Reality, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, No Slash, Ocarina of Time, Personal Growth, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 20:26:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18534877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KB_Maillet/pseuds/KB_Maillet
Summary: She didn't want to be his executioner, to take him to a dark place she knew he couldn't yet handle, but they were both bound to a sense of duty that nether of them fully understood. A story in which Navi is missing and Link still needs someone to guide him through the lands of Hyrule.





	The Guide to Hyrule

_"The right thing... what is it? I wonder, if you do the right thing, does it really make everyone happy?"_  
**MAJORA'S MASK (2000)**

* * *

 

She casts a careful glance to her riding partner who looked as though he's seen better days, tucking a thick strand of her reddish-blonde hair behind a rounded ear in her typical nervous habit. His posture was atrocious for riding on a horse, back slouched and his glassy gaze looking ahead as if he was seeing a world that wasn't really there. His skin was an unhealthy shade and almost seemingly gray tinted...but her imagination loved to play tricks on her so she wasn't quite sure if it was nerves talking or not. Her eyebrows furrowed in concern and she bit the inside of her cheek to try and keep herself quiet, but dammit, she would be a horrible travel guide if she left this alone!

"Sir?" Her tone was soft and gentle, sounding much too young to fit her appearance. The young man in question looked at her, blinking confused blue eyes, "Are you alright? Perhaps we should stop and rest for a moment." She saw him tense slightly before returning his attention back to his surroundings, replying with only a shake of his head. Her cheeks puffed out in annoyance.

_A typical silent hero..._

They were travelling through a forest in the direction of Hyrule, the tall evergreens shading them from the harsh sun baring down on their backs. She found him outside her home, wildly banging at her door in the wee hours of the morning. He gave no explanation as to why or even how he appeared at her house except that he didn't know where he was and that he needed to get to Hyrule as quickly as he could. She had been planning on declining on providing him service until he promised her almost double the payment she would typically charge for escorts to the grand kingdom. Even though it's been ages since she's last done service as a guide, there was no chance she could pass up such an opportune deal in such a needy time.

She had been in the business for a good handful of years, she knew the lay of the land and the people within it. Though Hyrule was a week away, she knew the quickest way there that only took around 5 days to get there. She didn't exactly know why he even wanted to go to that wretched place. Maybe he didn't know about Ganondorf (or "Gandork" her people affectionately call him behind his back) taking over Hyrule? Maybe he was another idiot off to defeat him? If that was true than that would mean she was bringing him to his death. Her gray eyes glance again to the young man and shook her head.

No, as strange as it seems, she had the feeling that he would be the one to save them all from this darkness.

"I still think we should break." She said, riding up a bit ahead of him to look for a good resting place. It would do him no good reaching his destination in such poor condition. He might be young but he was still far from invincible. She didn't hear a reply back from him, not even his horse's feet trotting through the dirt and grass. Confused, the guide turns around, "Sir?"

Only to be greeted with the sight of him falling off his horse, "SIR!" She got off her own horse as quickly as she could but didn't catch him in time. He fell to the ground with a thud and spooked his horse a bit. Luckily she had managed to calm her down before the horse ran away or worse, "Easy, girl, easy..." She said in her gentle tone again before glancing worried eyes to the young Hylian who's face was now flushed with a tint of red, shivering slightly as if it were cold. She crouched down, resting a hand on his forehead and noted how he felt slightly warmer than he should. The woman thinks back to when he showed up a couple of days ago and the ride since then, how haggard and tired he seemed. It honestly surprised her he lasted this long, he's not had a proper rest it a while. When was the last time he ate as well?

"Sir, I am afraid I can no longer take you any further to Hyrule." There was that firmness in her tone that told him there was no changing her mind, defiant blue eyes staring up at her as he pushes himself off the ground.

_I am not going to be the executioner, not again..._

She had taken off Link's hat as she crouches down and ran slender fingers through his thick golden hair, it was a beautiful color, just a shade darker than the princess's. He groans a bit before closing his eyes, rubbing them then looking to her again. She frowns at him before sighing softly, "You are not fit to continue on, we must rest or else I leave you here." Those blue eyes widen and tried to bolt up but was stopped when she placed a hand firmly on his shoulder, trying her best nor to glare, "Would you rather die before you complete your purpose? I have no idea why, in the name of Din, you are going to Hyrule...but it must be for a reason, a good one I hope." He studied her for a moment before giving in, seeing she was right.

By the time they had finished setting up camp, she could see him sweating in the cold night air but luckily, has not gotten worse since then. The young Hylian was tying up the horses, she looked at him sadly. Obviously he had driven himself to a point of poor health. The heroic air that had once been around him had been replaced with a very human one.

What was he thinking? What great importance did he have to accomplish that would cause him to fall ill? Why did he seem to feel as though everyone's hopes and desires and dreams rested upon his shoulders? It didn't, he just couldn't realize it. No one was forcing him to be the hero, he had the choice, so why?

Her attention snaps back to her partner, who was resting a hand on his horse with his shoulders slouching a bit. He looked drained and yet determination was burning in his eyes, she couldn't understand. Did he really believe he was the one to ease their pain? That was merely a delusion, no single man could do that. She felt her hopes slipping away again.

She got up and walked over to him, taking a hold of his upper arm before gently guiding him to the fire, "Rest, I will help the horses."

_Enough with this philosophy! Just get him better and take him to...to Hyrule..._

Maybe she shouldn't have taken the job, she couldn't stand the sick heavy feeling in her stomach, how her skin would feel like ice at the mere memories of years that passed long ago.

After feeding the horses and gathering the ingredients for a stew, she returned to their little camp to find the young man sharpening his sword. She set to work making the stew, once in a while glancing to him to see how he was doing. "Maybe you should be relaxing a bit, the quicker you recover the better." He let out a heavy sigh, looking suddenly annoyed.

"I don't have time..."

_Damnit! Why did he have to be so-_

"Stubborn..." She shook her head before turning her attention back to the stew, "Why do you wish to go to Hyrule, sir?"

"Because I have to, I need to stop him before its too late." So he was going off to do something horrendously stupid.

"Why, if I may ask?" She wondered if her irritation was evident in her voice. Apparently not since he was still focusing on his sword. She takes a moment to study the blade, from the striking rich blue hilt to the gleaming pointed tip. Even though she's never held a weapon in her life, mostly since her clients were usually the ones armed and ready for a fight, she still admired how beautiful it looked.

"Because I am the Hero of Time." She stopped stirring and looked at him with a mix of bewilderment and disbelief, he had said it so nonchalant that it took her by surprise, "I was asked by the Six Sages to stop him, because I was destined to."

"So you had the choice?"

He shrugged, wiping any metal shaving off his sword with a soft cloth, "Yes, I could have refused, I guess. Everyone has a choice whether or not to complete what their purpose is."

"And how do you know that is what your purpose is...sir?"

He looked as though he didn't quite know himself but she waited patiently, stirring the stew occasionally so it didn't burn, "I...it all seemed to make sense...with everything that's happened so far. It felt right...like I had found myself."

"So being a reckless young man who was given a sword to complete the work for everyone else is your purpose?" There was no hiding the bitterness in her tone, the very idea stirring a fire in her chest that burned her soul.

_Why get yourself killed for nothing, no one will remember nor even know what you had done for them..._

"That is not what I am." He said in a dangerous tone, sending a sharp glare to the travel guide which made her squirm a little in discomfort. He than sighed, as with her, she felt suddenly tired.

"Look, I...I shouldn't question what you are doing, its just..." How exactly was she going to put this?, "I don't want another...hero...throwing all his future away to save a bunch of selfish people who won't even know what you did. I mean..."

"Stop..." The "Hero of Time" said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Whether or not people will know it's me, I can't just sit aside watch what is happening to everyone. I...don't care if anyone remembers me if I...you know." He sounded a bit disappointed which made the travel guide frown, "Just as long as he's stopped, as long as I can rescue my friends, that's more than enough for me." He start to get up again and she spooned the stew into a bowl, handing it to him to keep him seated.

_He isn't doing it for the glory...its just...its the right thing to do..._

She didn't know why that answer disappointed her so much, not that any of the alternatives were any better. He seemed to know well enough that he didn't have to go off and fight the Evil King, he could just hide like the rest of them did and live until the gruelling end. But he was fighting for a purpose, for people he cared for more than himself, for the rest who will never know the truth. Why was someone being so selfless? It didn't make much sense to her.

The fire crackles softly in the cold night, a heavy silence between the two only filled by the gentle sounds of the wildlife, "...I'll remember you."

He pauses, the wooden spoon sticking out of his mouth as he looks over to her meekly poking at her own portion. There was no turning back now, she knew, it'll be just a few more days until they reach the borders of Hyrule Field and then she could be off on her merry way. But even though the gesture was small, she still hoped that it would lighten whatever burden he was feeling. Judging by the satisfied humph, it did the trick to lighten the mood, "Thanks...Oh, I just realized." She looks up at him as he sets down his bowl and stick a gloved hand out towards her, smiling at her, "After all this time, we haven't actually introduced ourselves!"

The woman frowns at that, thinking back to previous conversations and realizing that yes, they never said who they were. The beginning had been simply muddled confusion mixed with awkward silence but she shrugs, "I thought that maybe you didn't wish to tell me your name, sir."

He grimaces slightly, "I just...don't like being called sir. You can call me Link!"

"Link, huh?" There's a tugging at her lips as she reaches over to firmly grasp his hand, "You can all me Aniv."

**Author's Note:**

> So this was written many many years ago before I even began posting things online. If I remember correctly, the idea was that Navi was gone (for some reason, I can't remember) and Link would need another guide to take him across Hyrule so he ends up somewhere far outside of Hyrule and comes across a travel guide living alone outside of town (the setting had been a desert that most people fled to when Ganondorf took over). If there is any interest in continuing this story, I'll start writing up some chapters (it'll be a nice break from writing for Our Resolution).
> 
> Some character information since I'll try not to over describe her appearance very much, her personality will be showcased in the story itself though:
> 
> Aniv's (A-N-EVE) name is just "Navi" switched around. She's human (I think there's humans in LoZ universe) and much older than Link (who is, let's say, around 18 years old), around 36 years old. She's pretty average in terms of appearance, her hair comes to her shoulders and it's a reddish-blonde color, her eyes are a dark gray. She's a bit more on the tan side but not the same shade as the Gerudo. Her current attire is a pair of brown pants tucked into black boots, a wide leather belt with a long sleeved white shirt and a long tan cloak. Her hair is tied back in a braid with strands near the sides loosely hanging down. She's not carrying any weapons on her person but her pack does contain some necessities for travelling such as some cooking supplies (a small pot, a couple of spoons and bowls) as well as first aid (bandages and potions) since she generally relies on her travelling companions to keep her safe. Aniv has a great sense of direction and okay people skills but she can be pretty gullible and easily birded into doing things if she's hesitant (hence why Link was able to get her to take him to Hyrule when she obviously didn't want to).
> 
> Again, please let me know if you want me to continue this story. I know this chapter is short but it's all I have written a long time ago, it was for fun.
> 
> KB


End file.
